In recent years, a hybrid vehicle and an electric vehicle have been put into practical use. In the hybrid vehicle, a motor serving as a driving source and another driving source (for example, internal combustion engine, fuel cell, or the like) are combined, whereas the electric vehicle employs a motor as a driving source. In such vehicles, an electric power storage apparatus is installed to supply the motor with electric power, which is energy. The electric power storage apparatus includes an electric power storage device for storing electric power. The electric power storage device provided therein is, for example, a secondary battery, a capacitor, or the like, which can be charged and discharged repeatedly.
As the secondary battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery, a lithium-ion battery, or the like is used. The secondary battery is constituted by, for example, stacked battery cells. The secondary battery is contained in a battery case and is installed in a vehicle.
It has been considered to place the electric power storage apparatus in the vehicle's cabin in which an occupant is to be present. Placement of the electric power storage apparatus within the cabin advantageously achieves, for example, widening of a trunk room, in which the electric power storage apparatus had been placed traditionally.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-238541 discloses a vehicular battery mounted structure in which a battery, provided on a floor panel to extend in the width direction of the vehicle, is fixed at its outer ends to center pillars located in the lateral side portions of the vehicle. It is disclosed that, in this structure, the battery reinforces a strengthening member to achieve improved rigidity of the vehicular body against lateral impact without an extra cross member.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-001655 discloses a structure in which a high voltage electrical component case containing a battery, which is a heavy load, is provided on the floor of a vehicular body between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat arranged side by side in the width direction of the vehicle.
If an electric power storage apparatus including an electric power storage device is placed within a cabin, the electric power storage apparatus may be positioned between seats. For example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-001655 mentioned above, the battery is placed between the driver's seat and the passenger's seat.
When lateral impact is imposed on such a vehicle having an electric power storage apparatus arranged between seats, the impact may be transferred via a seat, resulting in great impact on the electric power storage apparatus.